realm_of_shadows wrote:i'll go from 6 to 8 so I'll only miss most of the first quarter.

Naw dude, go from 6 to 7 and watch the entire game, the Lakers might actually play well in the first quarter.

Its not that I don't want to see the first, trust me I do. But everyone is b'ing me about staying at least 3 hours. I don't like parties: I don't drink, I don't dance, I'm not interested in hitting on anyone cuz chances are their under 18 (I am 18) and or have scary dads. I just wanna watch my Laker game in peace, if their is a t.v at the party all those people (Mexicans by the way) will do is watch soccer, i'm hispanic, I know this.

What do you get when you fall in love? You only get lies and pain and sorrow.I feel so much like giving up732

I don't have time to do the player matchups for tonight's game. I promise I will do one for the next game. So yall will at least have something, here is Insiders head to head matchups for this series.

Point guard: L.A. starts Payton at point. He hasn't missed a start this season and has been possibly the only constant on this team. He can still score when needed but hasn't had to with this team. He definitely would like to push the ball up in transition more if opportunities arise and is very good at running screen-roll action. He has had a tremendous career and came to L.A. to win a ring, so there will be motivation. His backup is former starter Fisher. Derek still plays quite a bit and is an integral part of this team at both ends. They also will play together at times.

Houston's Francis made the All-Star team as a starter but has not had a great year by his standards. Nevertheless, he still makes most of the exciting plays this team provides. Shooting is down, but the intensity is there. He must play like an All-Star for them to win. His backup is old pro Mark Jackson, who Van Gundy brought out of retirement. "Jack" has done a good job with the second unit and in allowing Francis to move over to shooting guard at times.Advantage:Even

Off guard: The Lakers have Kobe. Not much else is needed. Despite all the off-court distractions, he has had a great year with dagger shots at the end of games. He reminds me of MJ the way he plays basketball at times. He is always looking to improve. Houston will guard him with two or three different people. Kareem Rush has done a good job making shots in a reserve role but sprained his right ankle April 11, and his status is up in the air. Bryon Russell is L.A.'s insurance policy.

Houston counters with Mobley. A quick, left-handed player who plays much bigger than his actual size. He can put up some huge numbers. He is also shooting almost 40 percent from 3. Jackson can slide over to play the two, or Eric Piatkowski can play there some.Advantage:Lakers Small forward: L.A. would have had Rick Fox, but he probably won't be ready due to a thumb injury. Now Devean George starts. An athletic player who needs to keep the defense honest by knocking down shots and moving and feeding off of Shaq. Russell also will back up at the three and still can make shots when left open.

Houston will start Jackson, whom the coaches love. He has had possibly his best season, and many feel Houston would not have made the playoffs if not for Jimmy joining up just before the season began. Deep-shooter Piatkowski is ready if needed. Bostjan Nachbar probably won't play much. Clarence Weatherspoon might.Advantage:Rockets

Power forward: Karl Malone somewhat holds the Lakers together with his leadership and experience. He is hungry for a ring and was playing great until injuring his knee in December, the first serious injury of his career. Now he sprained an ankle in L.A.'s last game against Portland. Will he be ready? I hope so for him. Horace Grant is out for the season, so Luke Walton had better be ready. Stansislav Medvedenko played well in Malone's absence and will be ready again, but he is foul prone. Stans can make face-up shots, though, and is an underrated player. Brian Cook has done a good job, as well, when given the opportunity.

Houston goes big by starting Kelvin Cato. It gives the Rockets a much bigger starting team defensively, and Cato scores when he dives to the basket off Yao's post-ups. He has some decent post moves, as well. Maurice Taylor will back him up and comes in the game looking to score. They love the offense Mo brings with him, and Van Gundy calls his plays quite a bit when he's in there. He's a good mid-range shooter who can post up, as well. Weatherspoon has played well at the four, also.Advantage:Lakers

Center: This is the premier match up in the entire first round. Shaq is the most dominant player in the world today. He has not played as well as he would have liked this season, so I'm sure he will use that as motivation in this round. He has proven he can make free throws when the game is on the line in the past. He'll get an opportunity to prove it again, I'm sure. Medvedenko, Cook or even Malone will move over to play center while Shaq rests.

Houston has Yao, who has been dominating at times this year, making heroic plays down the stretch in Houston's close wins. He is also a very good free-throw shooter. But he has struggled overall in the past few games. He needs all the energy he can muster in a seven-game series against Shaq. Cato and Taylor move over to back Yao up when he needs rest.Advantage:Lakers, this season.

jsm0331 wrote:I don't have time to do the player matchups for tonight's game. I promise I will do one for the next game. So yall will at least have something, here is Insiders head to head matchups for this series.

Point guard: L.A. starts Payton at point. He hasn't missed a start this season and has been possibly the only constant on this team. He can still score when needed but hasn't had to with this team. He definitely would like to push the ball up in transition more if opportunities arise and is very good at running screen-roll action. He has had a tremendous career and came to L.A. to win a ring, so there will be motivation. His backup is former starter Fisher. Derek still plays quite a bit and is an integral part of this team at both ends. They also will play together at times.

Houston's Francis made the All-Star team as a starter but has not had a great year by his standards. Nevertheless, he still makes most of the exciting plays this team provides. Shooting is down, but the intensity is there. He must play like an All-Star for them to win. His backup is old pro Mark Jackson, who Van Gundy brought out of retirement. "Jack" has done a good job with the second unit and in allowing Francis to move over to shooting guard at times.Advantage:Even

Off guard: The Lakers have Kobe. Not much else is needed. Despite all the off-court distractions, he has had a great year with dagger shots at the end of games. He reminds me of MJ the way he plays basketball at times. He is always looking to improve. Houston will guard him with two or three different people. Kareem Rush has done a good job making shots in a reserve role but sprained his right ankle April 11, and his status is up in the air. Bryon Russell is L.A.'s insurance policy.

Houston counters with Mobley. A quick, left-handed player who plays much bigger than his actual size. He can put up some huge numbers. He is also shooting almost 40 percent from 3. Jackson can slide over to play the two, or Eric Piatkowski can play there some.Advantage:Lakers Small forward: L.A. would have had Rick Fox, but he probably won't be ready due to a thumb injury. Now Devean George starts. An athletic player who needs to keep the defense honest by knocking down shots and moving and feeding off of Shaq. Russell also will back up at the three and still can make shots when left open.

Houston will start Jackson, whom the coaches love. He has had possibly his best season, and many feel Houston would not have made the playoffs if not for Jimmy joining up just before the season began. Deep-shooter Piatkowski is ready if needed. Bostjan Nachbar probably won't play much. Clarence Weatherspoon might.Advantage:Rockets

Power forward: Karl Malone somewhat holds the Lakers together with his leadership and experience. He is hungry for a ring and was playing great until injuring his knee in December, the first serious injury of his career. Now he sprained an ankle in L.A.'s last game against Portland. Will he be ready? I hope so for him. Horace Grant is out for the season, so Luke Walton had better be ready. Stansislav Medvedenko played well in Malone's absence and will be ready again, but he is foul prone. Stans can make face-up shots, though, and is an underrated player. Brian Cook has done a good job, as well, when given the opportunity.

Houston goes big by starting Kelvin Cato. It gives the Rockets a much bigger starting team defensively, and Cato scores when he dives to the basket off Yao's post-ups. He has some decent post moves, as well. Maurice Taylor will back him up and comes in the game looking to score. They love the offense Mo brings with him, and Van Gundy calls his plays quite a bit when he's in there. He's a good mid-range shooter who can post up, as well. Weatherspoon has played well at the four, also.Advantage:Lakers

Center: This is the premier match up in the entire first round. Shaq is the most dominant player in the world today. He has not played as well as he would have liked this season, so I'm sure he will use that as motivation in this round. He has proven he can make free throws when the game is on the line in the past. He'll get an opportunity to prove it again, I'm sure. Medvedenko, Cook or even Malone will move over to play center while Shaq rests.

Houston has Yao, who has been dominating at times this year, making heroic plays down the stretch in Houston's close wins. He is also a very good free-throw shooter. But he has struggled overall in the past few games. He needs all the energy he can muster in a seven-game series against Shaq. Cato and Taylor move over to back Yao up when he needs rest.Advantage:Lakers, this season.